Pages

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Feeling Blue

Since moving into our home about 10 years ago, I've repainted my little bathroom multiple times. I'm just never happy with the color I choose. Maybe it's how it looks against the tile? Or how the light changes things? I'll love the color on the little color swatch at the paint store, but once I get it home and up on the wall, I fall quickly out of love.

But I keep trying.

I decided to go for blue this time, which isn't generally my color. But I've been liking turquoise lately so I decided to give that a shot.

I even wore shoes and a shirt to match the day's project. Altho I have loved this shirt for years, after today, it's being retired and sent away to Goodwill. It's time. It's shorter than I like my t-shirts and it's got a few little stains on it. Boo hoo. Goodbye, Big Blue Flower Shirt. May I find a blue for my bathroom that I love as much as I have loved you.

This is what my bathroom looked like when I started this whole fiasco at the beginning of the day.

The room is very little, so it's a little tricky to get a good picture.

I went to Home Depot last night and got a bunch of color swatches. So many choices! But all those choices just made things more challenging. Some of them look blue, but when I move them next to another blue, they sorta magically morph into a green.

And believe it or not, there are way more blues than this picture shows.

I'm am not going for a nautical theme at all, but when you're using blues, the names mostly seem to represent that. Names like Pacific Sea Teal, Maiden Voyage, Brilliant Sea, Tropical Tide. But I found one I liked called "Peacock Feather." So I went ahead and bought it, because with a name like that, how could I not love it?

I went straight home put the Peacock Feather on a large area of one of the walls. (After I first primed all the wall space, because the folks at Home Depot told me I should, since I was painting over red.)

Oh no. Not what I had in mind. At all. No, it wasn't nautical, but it was a little nauseating. It seems a little hyper for a bathroom. Maybe Peacocks weren't meant to strut around in bathrooms after all.

So I went to the bookstore and looked through decorating books and magazines. I was reminded of the blue I originally had in mind before it got muddled with over abundance of choices. The one I finally chose is called Surfer. Altho it sounds a little nautical, I'm going to disregard names after this Peacock Feather disaster.

I'll post a picture soon once I get it all finished. If I were to post a photo of how it looks thus far, I don't think anyone would be raving. But once I get all the painting done,and spiff things up, I think I'll be really happy.

And if not? Well, it's just paint! It's not difficult or expensive to make a change.

14 comments:

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and for your kind comments.Well done for following your heart's whisperings and finding the perfect shade of blue. Its amazing how easily we can be blown off course by other ideas... which when we follow then never feel quite right somehow. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished pictures.Hugs x

It's funny, I'm actually also considering repainting my bathroom blue or bluish green. It's got a peachy color right now that's a little too sunshiney for me in the morning. I want a something a little more serene and peaceful - kinda like a spa feel.

I am completely and utterly smitten with turquoise. I feel your pain trying to get the color right from a swatch. I have been lucky over the years to find gifted people at various paint stores (sadly not Home Depot or other big box hardwares) that will help me figure out "which" color I really want....meaning which swatch will end up looking like the color that i want. Hang in there. You will find the color and boy will it feel good!

Hi Kerri, thanks for your lovely comments on my painting! so nice to meet you!! Your blog space is beautiful here and wow your music is fantastic! love that your wore a matching outfit for the day of redecorating! :)

Hi Kerri, thanks for ur comment on my blog :)I enjoyed reading ur painting story - I too get distracted by the colour swatch names... I have always loved words and names are important to me - so I do find it hard to choose a colour I like but whose name I don't.. haha isn't that crazy... Its the colour u have to live with tho... so all the best for your "blue" results... Peace :)

Hi Kerri, thanks for stopping by my blog. I love this post .... I'm usually pretty good at picking colours for everything else in my life (and everyone around me that asks for help) but when it comes to my own walls - it's really hard. I hope that the new blue turns out to be exactly what you wanted once you finish accessorizing. BTW I love the graphics on your blog ... they are so fun and "happy"

Oh, the tales I could tell you about blue! My daughter's favorite color and so we painted her room blue. As you well know, those colors really change once they are on the wall! Her room is a pretty wild blue, but she loves it and so it stays. For my yoga room I wanted a blue/green and I think the color I chose was called Refresh. Good for a yoga space, right? Well ... I do love it, but in certain light it is a tad vibrant. The successful color choices involved paint catalogs targeting the style of our home (craftsmen) and I stuck with color combos shown together. Those rooms turned out lovely. But I have to admit, I am slightly proud of our wilder rooms ...

then there is my mother who wanted a deep pink for her bedroom ... we called it the Bourbon Street bordello ... (she is 85!)

OMG I love that mirror in your bathroom!

And yeah, you gotta recycle/reuse your t-shirt. Maybe use it on the front of a tote bag?

I totally get excited about painting projects, Kerri! How funny that I decided to visit your blog today!!! I haven't dropped by for so long. I guess I could smell your paint job in full force all the way from south Texas!!! Hee! ;) Can't wait to see how your bathroom turns out. I know it will be beautiful! There's nothing....... like the smell and feel of a freshly painted room! Yes!!!???!!! :)

thanks ya'll for the ideas about what to do with my tshirt other than donate it to goodwill?? what a great idea to cut that flower off and make something-- so i will, eventually and i'll be sure to post it up!! :)